'Hike For Hope' To Fight Suicide, Mental Health Issues

This Saturday in Buffalo, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), Wyoming Chapter; and the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County will have their second annual Hike For Hope.

The Hike For Hope was organized to bring awareness of suicide and mental health issues to the public, and to promote suicide prevention and to hopefully reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, according to organizer Bill Hawley with the AFSP, Wyoming Chapter.

Hawley said the stigma surrounding mental health issues can be reduced by all of us communicating about the issues, bringing them to the forefront of community awareness and helping those that may need it to understand it is okay to seek help.

The Hike For Hope will be this Saturday at 10am, with registration from 9 to 10am at Crazy Woman Square.
A special speaker will address those attending at 9:45, according to Hawley.
The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County gives an annual scholarship to a local student going into a health-related field, and this year's recipient of the $1,500 scholarship is Hope Donahue from Buffalo High School.
She will give a short address before the hike begins at 10am.

From the square, the hike will continue up the Clear Creek Trail System to the Veteran's Home of Wyoming where there will be a short ceremony remembering those veteran's that have died by suicide.
The hike will then head out Veteran's Lane to Highway 16 and back to town along the bike path.
The entire trip should take about an hour and a half, according to Hawley.